Internal combustion engine



Aug. 4, 1942. M. w. ANTHONY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 SheetsSheet l ATTO R N EYS Aug. 4,4942. M. w. ANTHONY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I -IIIII INVENTOR 3; ll L Q Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Mark W. Anthony, Tyler, Tex.

Application January 25, 1941, Serial No. 375,983

Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in internal combustion engines of the type particularly designed for driving motorcycles and the like and is a continuation in part of my pending application Serial No. 220,790, for Improvements in motorcycles, filed July 22, 1938.

An object of the invention is to provide an engine of the above character having generally improved lubricating means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an engine of the aforesaid character in which the gears connecting the crankshaft with the transmission shaft are utilized to pump lubricant to various parts of the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an engine lubricating system of the above character which is efficient and reliable in operation.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an internal combustion engine having a lubricating system which will circulate lubricant in response to the operative speed of the engine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a view principally in side elevation with parts removed to illustrate interior construction,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section as viewed along line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through a portion of the transmission and cam chambers, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the transmission chamber showing a modification of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings; wherein is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, l0 designates the engine body or housing which is advantageously constructed of a pair of longitudinally divided complementary sections. At the forward portion of the housing is formed a relatively large crank chamber defined by a cylindrical wall II adjacent to a rearwardly disposed smaller transmission chamber defined by an ovate wall I2. These chambers are substantially closed with the exception of a transversely elongated slot l3 formed in the common Wall between these chambers providing restricted communication therebetween adjacent the top of the transmission chamber. Below the crank and transmission chambers II and I 2 is formed a chamber l4 extending the full length of the housing and forming a reservoir therein. At the upper forward portion of the crank chamber H is formed a boss l5 connecting with the inner end portion of a power cylinder l6, which may be of the air cooled type, housing a reciprocatory piston. Forwardly of the lower portion of the crank chamber is formed a horizontal partition web I! having an opening I8, dividing the front of the reservoir from a chamber I9. In the bottom of the engine housing is formed an approximately vertical brace-forming web 20 having a transverse passage 2| affording communication between the thus divided portions of the bottom reservoir chamber l4. At one side of the transmission chamber l2 the housing is shaped to form an elongated depression similar in contour to the cross sectional profile of the transmission chamber providing a relatively shallow cam chamber 22 which opens into a relatively large gear chlamber formed by an approximately circular wall 23 at the side of the housing. The chamber 23 is arranged parallel with a smaller gear chamber defining wall 24 of substantially circular form and communicates with the latter through the medium of a constricted slot 25. At one side the rear portion of the chamber II is fashioned with a longitudinally extending duct 26 connecting at its outer end with a transverse passage 21 opening into the rear chamber l9.

One section of a crank shaft 28 journaled in transverse position in the crank chamber, is formed to provide therein an angular passage 29 designed for intermittent communication with the duct 26 so as to provide a breather conduit intermittently opening and closing during operation of the piston in timed relation to provide alternate pressure and vacuum periods during the operative cycle, for discharging gas and air from the crank chamber into the auxiliary chamber l9. On the opposite section of this crank shaft is keyed a spur gear 30 rotatably mounted within the smaller gear chamber 24 and constantly in mesh with a complementary larger spur gear 3| rotatable in the gear casing 23, these gears engaging in the slot 25, as shown to advantage at Figure 1. The chambers housing gears 30 and 3! are normally covered by an integral cover plate 32 removably secured in position by screws or like fastening elements.

of different diameters.

Extending through the transmission chamber |2 in parallelism with the crank shaft 28 is a transmission shaft 33 having an end extension on which the gear 3| is keyed. Within the chamber 22 the shaft 33 is formed with a cam 34 disposed to operate the pivoted levers 35 of a pair of valve rods 36. The opposite end of this transmission shaft connects with one section of a clutch mechanism generally indicated at 31, the complementary section of this clutch being connected to a tubular shaft 38 rotatably fitted on the transmission shaft and extending through the transmission chamber I2. A spiral groove 39 is formed in the exterior of the tubular shaft 38 at one end of the transmission chamber for a purpose which will be later described. On this tubular shaft is rotatably mounted a sleeve 40 journaled in a bearing mounted in a side wall of the housing and having secured on its outer end portion a drive sprocket 4| forming the power takeoff for propelling a motorcycle or similar vehicle. On the inner end of the sleeve 43 is a spur gear 42 having teeth 43 at the inner end for detachable engagement with corresponding notches in the end of a transmission gear 44 splined on the shaft 38 and composed of a pair of spaced spur gears This transmission gear is selectively operable, through a change speed lever mechanism, to effect direct driving connection through engagement with the gear 42 or reduced ratio driving connection through engagement with spur gears 45 or 46 formed on a sleeve 41 rotatabl supported on a countershaft 48 and having a spur gear 49 constantly in mesh with the spur gear 42.

The transmission shaft 33 is formed with a central through bore in which is slidably fitted a rod 50 axially movable through the medium of a lever of a clutch operating shaft 52. An end portion of the rod 56 is provided with an external spiral groove 53.

As clearly shown at Figure 4, a relatively small bore 54 is formed in the bottom of the wall 55 dividing the cam gear chamber 22 from the transmission chamber l2. As will be readily apparent from Figure 3 a vertically disposed groove 56 is formed in the inner face of the gear cover 32 having the lower end leading into an inclined passage 51 which opens into the boss 58 defining a cylindrical housing for the clutch actuating mechanism. In the body side wall structure between the crank chamber and the chambers housing the gears 30 and 3| is formed an undulatory conduit 59 having each end portion directed downwardly and opening into the bottom reservoir chamber M. In apertures in the top of the wall structure extending between the gear chambers 23 and 24 is fitted a vertically disposed pipe 60 having its lower end opening into a pocket in the upper part of the slot between the gear chambers and having its upper portion looped so that the opposite end leads downwardl into a valve chamber 6|. This chamber is fitted with a spring seated valve 62 and having its outlet connected with the upper end of a depending pipe 64 which extends so that its lower end 65 opens into the bottom reservoir M. A branch pipe 66 connecting with the upper looped portion of the pipe 60, prior to its connection with the valve 5|, leads transversely therefrom and downwardly so as to open into the top of the crank chamber.

A conduit 61 branching from the line 66 is extended to the upper portion of the valve actuating mechanism includin the rods 36 and the levers 35. The lubricant drains from the tubular housings of these valve rods into the crank chamber through inclined passages 68. At the bottom of the annular wall 23 of the large gear chamber is formed a passage 69 affording communication between the lower portion of the reservoir l4 and the gear chamber 23.

During operation of the engine, the rotation of the crank shaft through the medium of the piston causes rotation of the intermeshing gears 30 and 3| connecting the crank shaft with the transmission shaft. In the example shown these gears operate so that the larger gear revolves in a clockwise direction and is so mounted with relation to its chamber that it function to carry lubricant, such as a conventional lubricating oil, from the feed passage 69 to the pocket or zone above the mesh point of these gears to produce an appreciable fluid pressure therein. From this pressure zone the pumping action forces the oil to the upstanding distributor line 63 and through branch line 65 into the crank case and through line 61 to the covers or top of the valve mechanism. The oil is flung from the crank case, by the rotary action of the crank, through the passage forming slot l3 into the transmission chamber and onto the gear mechanism therein. The oil discharges from the bottom of the transmission chamber |2 through the passage 54 and enters the gear chamber 23 where it is picked up by the rotating gear 3| for recirculation. The valve 6| communicating with the return line 64 functions to preclude excessive increase in pressure in the distributing conduits and when said valve opens, upon attainment of a predetermined pressure, the excess oil is returned to the reservoir M through the conduit 64. The passage 59 is designed to afford proper circulation in the oil reservoir at each side web 20, the reservoir having an outlet through the vent I8 into the intermediate chamber i9 which in turn vents to the atmosphere through an outlet passage 10, the breather conduit likewise discharging gas from the crank case on the pressure stroke of the piston into the chamber l9 for essential discharge through outlet 10.

Oil in the gear chamber 24 flows downwardly in the groove 56 and through the passage 51 into the housing 53 on the cover from when it is carried into the bore of the transmission shaft through the medium of the spiral groove 53 of the operatin rod 56 and passes radially through transverse bores il in the transmission shaft as well as through bores 12 in the outer tubular shaft 38 to the exterior of the latter.

As shown at Figure 1, the oil feed passage 69 between the reservoir and the gear chamber 23 may advantageously be arranged to feed the oil at a point wherein the pumping gears create an appreciable vacuum. Thus, the intermeshing gears which are capable of functioning to connect the crank and transmission shafts and as timing gears, also provide an effective pump means.

In a modified form of the invention, illustrated at Figure 5, the return passage 54 discharging from the transmission chamber I2 is eliminated and a tubular section 12 is secured in registration with an outlet in the lowest point of the transmission chamber in depending arrangement. This tubular member is formed with a valve seat against which is yieldingly forced, by a coil spring 13, a valve disk 14. This valve controlled outlet functions to intermittently drain the oil from the transmission chamber into the reservoir through the medium of the breather structure, by means of which the alternate super and subatmospheric pressure conditions, produced in the crank chamber by the pistonaction, are communicated to the reservoir to impart pulsating movement of the valve 13.

As will be readily apparent this construction provides a lubricating system which very efficiently lubricates the required moving parts of the engine and utilizes the shaft connecting and timing gears to pump the lubricant in accordance with the operative engine speed to distribute the oil in suitably heated condition.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred and modified examples of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a body having parallel crank and transmission chambers communicating through a restricted passage, a reservoir chamber in the lower portion of the body, a crank shaft journaled in the crank chamber, a transmission shaft extending through the transmission chamber, a pair of intermeshing timing gears secured to the said crank and transmission shafts and mounted in communicating chambers on the body, the said gears being operable to generate fluid pressure in a zone in the gear chambers, the said reservoir communicating with one of the gear chambers through a lubricant feed inlet, a plurality of lubricant conducting lines connected with an outlet of the said pressure zone, a passage for returning lubricant from the transmission chamber into one of the gear chambers for recirculation, and means for automatically controlling the pressure in the lubricant distributing lines.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a body having parallel crank and transmission chambers communicating through a restricted passage, a reservoir chamber in the lower portion of the body, a crank shaft journaled in the crank chamber, a transmission shaft extending through the transmission chamber, a pair of intermeshing timing gears secured to the said crank and transmission shafts and mounted in communicating chambers on the body, the said gears being operable to generate fluid pressure in a zone between the gear chambers, the said reservoir communicating with one of the gear chambers through a lubricant feed inlet, a plurality of lubricant conducting lines connected with an outlet of the said pressure zone, a breather conduit connecting the crank chamber with the reservoir, a passage for draining lubricant from the transmission chamber into the reservoir, and a spring seated valve operable to periodically open and close the said passage through the variable pressure created in the reservoir.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a body having a lubricant reservoir in the bottom thereof, a crank chamber and a transmission chamber formed in the body at obliquely disposed arrangement above the said reservoir, crank and transmission shafts journalled in the respective chambers, a wall between the said chambers having a transversely extending passage in the upper portion thereof for splash feeding of lubricant from the crank chamber to th transmission chamber, a pair of intermeshing gears secured to the said shafts and mounted in communicating chambers on the body so as to generate fluid pressure in the zone therebetween, the said reservoir communicating with one of the said gear chambers through a feed passage, a passage for conducting lubricant from the transmission chamber into one of the said gear chambers, a distributing conduit extending upwardly from and communicating with the said pressure zone, a branch conduit for conducting lubricant from the said distributing conduit into the top of the crank chamber, a branch conduit connecting with the crank chamber feed conduit for conducting oil to valve mechanism of the engine, and a return conduit communicating with the outlet of the distributing conduit for returning excess lubricant to the reservoir.

4. In an engine of the character described, a transmission shaft having a bore therethrough and radial passages connecting the said bore with the exterior of the shaft, a rod mounted to move axially within the bore of the said shaft having an external spiral groove, and means for feeding lubricant ont the said rod.

5. In an engine of the character described, a crank shaft, a transmission shaft having a bore therethrough and radial passages communicating the said bore with the exterior of the shaft, an axially movable rod mounted within the bore of the said shaft and provided with an external spiral groove, clutch operating mechanism associated with one end of the said rod, a pair of intermeshin gears forming a driving connection between the said crank and transmission shafts, a housing enclosing the said gears in pump forming relation therewith, a lubricant containing reservoir having communicative connection with the pump forming housing, the interior of the said housing having a duct for conducting lubricant to the clutch operatin gear and the axially movable rod for feeding lubricant along the said rod and to the exterior of the transmission shaft, the said housing having a discharge port, and conduits connecting with the discharge port for conducting lubricant therefrom to movable parts of the engine.

MARK W. ANTHONY. 

